Archive for month: September, 2014

A political commentator says the West, and in particular the United States, has been working to prop up terrorism in the Arab world over the past few years.

Rodney Martin, a former US Congressional staffer from Los Angeles, told Press TV in an interview on Saturday that the West – the United States in particular – sees its “presence” in the Arab world “declining.”

Arab nations are able to self-govern, he said, adding that the United States keeps propping up terrorism since “there is no compelling case for US presence in the Middle East.”

Now the West wants to re-brand al-Qaeda as no longer “evil enough” to market a renewed long term military campaign in the Middle East, Martin stated.

The political analyst also commented on the US-led coalition against the ISIL Takfiri terrorists in Syria.

“If the US and Britain were serious about these types of entities they wouldn’t have funded them and armed them to destabilize and try to topple the government” of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, he said, referring to the ISIL militants.

Many political commentators are saying that a war on ISIL is a pretext for the United States to move in and protect its interests in the region.

On September 23, the United States and its Arab allies started targeting ISIL positions in Syria.

Warplanes from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates participated in the airstrikes.

The United States also struck ISIL positions in Iraq in August.

Washington has supported militants operating against the government of Syria since March 2011.

SC/HSN

The US-led airstrikes hit ISIL targets in Syria’s central province of Homs for the first time on Saturday, a monitoring group said.

According to a UK-based Syrian opposition group, terrorists in Minbej, east of Aleppo, along with other targets were struck.

“The US-Arab coalition has for the first time struck IS (ISIL) bases in the eastern desert of Homs province,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Rahman said that “at least 31 explosions were heard in Raqa city and its surroundings”.

A US defense official told AFP on Friday that the camping is analogous to US-led airstrikes on ISIL terrorists in Iraq, involving “near continuous” combat flight missions in Syria.

The United States also plans to train and arm 5,000 “moderate” militants in Syria to fight against ISIL but according to General Martin Dempsey, the number would be something between 12,000 and 15,000.

Dempsey said on Friday that the forces would include Iraqis, Kurds as well as “moderate” militants from Syrian opposition groups, who will all try to recapture “lost territories” in eastern part of the country.

The US and its partners began airstrikes against ISIL in Syria on Tuesday morning. The bombings also happened in Iraq.

US aircraft, along with fighter jets from France and several Arab countries, have been bombing several areas in Iraq.

Iraqi sources say at least seven civilians, including children, were killed in a US airstrike in the city of Mosul.

Human rights activists have estimated that up to 24 civilians have been killed in airstrikes.

AT/GJH

‘Ask-i Nebi, Love of the Prophet,’ an exhibition presenting works of art inspired by Muslims’ love for the Prophet Mohammed, has been opened to New York.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, opened the exhibition that was brought from Istanbul last Sunday. The exhibition was first opened in Istanbul for the birthday of the Prophet in April.

Composed of unique examples of calligraphy and ornamentation, the exhibition was presented in Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia for the memory of the Prophet’s 1,443rd birthday.

In New York, the exhibition – which is organized by TIKA in collaboration with Yildiz Holding – can be visited in Turkish House.

Along with President Erdogan, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Dervis Eroglu, Turkey’s Anbssador in DC Serdar Kilic, Turkish Ambassador to the UN Halit Cevik and Turkey’s Consul General in New York Ertan Yalcin attended the opening.

The theme of the exhibition reflects the international aspect of Muslim world: “Love of the Prophet from Hejaz to Istanbul”.

The 41 pieces include verses of the Quran and Hadiths that were produced in different styles and techniques by several well-known calligraphy masters like Mehmed Ozcay, Hasan Celebi, Huseyin Kutlu and Ali Toy.

The exhibition remains open till 22nd October.

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Ayatollah Sayyed Hashem Hoseyni-Bushehri, the Friday prayer leader of Qom, in his sermon to worshippers gathered at Qom’s Holy Shrine of Lady Fatimah al-Ma’sumah, referred to the presence of Iranian president Hassan Rouhani at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, saying that we have been given a valuable opportunity that our president can stand at the UN podium every year and express the realities and provide a clear picture of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the entire world.

He added that Iran’s enemies spread propaganda throughout the year to the people and governments of the world which provides them with false opinions about the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thus, Iran needs to use its opportunities at the UN wisely to answer the lies of the enemies.

Ayatollah Bushehri referred to the concurrence of the President’s visit to New York and the beginning of a new period of discussions with the P5+1 group of countries over Iran’s peaceful nuclear program. He stated that the Iranian negotiating team must maintain the “red lines” suggested by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution (Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei). “We will not give in even an iota of our position to the negotiators and we will not joke about the interests of the Iranians nation,” the grand source of emulation stated.
 
In regard to the American-led Western and Arab coalition against the ISIL Takfiri terrorists, Ayatollah Alavi-Gorgani stated: “Who created these groups and has been equipping them for more than three years against the legitimate government of Syria? Do they think the world believes their ridiculous scheme? They even told Iran that it is not invited to be part of their coalition. What are they thinking? Iran has always been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, particularly in regards to ISIL.”

He reiterated that America’s attacks on ISIL positions in Syria has destroyed a lot of Syria’s infrastructure and has killed, injured and displaced many people. In Iraq, they have also killed dozens of military personnel. “What are ISIL’s sponsors, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain, doing? They claim they are fighting ISIL!” he exclaimed.

In regards to events in Yemen, the Friday prayer leader of Qom said that that their revolutionary rhetoric shows that many people support the revolution and so we should congratulate them. Their chants do not suggest that their revolution is based on ethnicity and tribalism.
 
Ayatollah Bushehri congratulated the believers on Sacred Defence Week stating that this week does not just commemorate a historical event, but a culture that tells us how to think, act and recognize who our enemies and friends are. “Sacred Defence is a culture of trust and belief in God, self-esteem and self-sacrifice,” he explained.

“Our experience shows that when we follow these elements, we will be successful. Today, Iran has reached a position where our country and our Leader are a harbour for all the revolutionaries and the oppressed of the world… Trust in God has been key to the success of all Muslim nations. The victory of the people of Gaza was a result of reliance on God it was not due to military superiority,” Ayatollah Bushehri added.

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